Children's tantrums make you feel stressed, especially outside the home. Here are 6 effective ways to calm a child
How to deal with a child's tantrum
Coping, controlling, and avoiding tantrums can be one of the biggest challenges parents face. Children are not as adept as adults at controlling their emotions and reactions as adults, and it is more difficult for some of them to express their feelings.
Children usually need some help from adults to calm down. And most parents have a good idea of how to calm children at home, in their small "safe space". But what will happen if you are not at home? Here are 6 tips parents can use to help their children calm in any setting and in any situation.
Count from 1 to 10 when feeling angry
One of the best ways to calm an angry child is to have him or her take a few seconds to pause and think before acting negatively. Young children struggle to control their emotions, but with the help of parents, they can practice it like any other skill. When you feel your child is feeling upset and about to go into a tantrum, ask him to count from 1 to 10 to give him time to think before acting in anger. Explain to your child that this is a magic technique that helps everyone triumph over anger like a hero. It might be a good idea if you pretend you are doing this in front of your child when you feel angry, as this will make your child accept the idea and imitate you.
Putting hands in pockets
This trick may not seem very effective at first glance, but when children put their hands in their pockets, it puts a comfortable pressure on them. If a child tends to be violent when angry, this is a great way to avoid it. You can also have them hold their hands tightly, or sit on them for a similar effect. Or, you can give them a rubber ball to squeeze to release negative energy.
Close fist, then relax
Bodies get tense when angry and upset. As adults, we know how to release this stress, but children usually do not know it and this may increase stress and make it more difficult for them to calm down. One way that children can visualize and deal with their stress is by closing their fists tightly, and then opening it. Doing this several times will have a very beneficial effect.
Deep breathing
We all know that deep breathing can have a very positive effect on a child's anger levels, and it is also a great relaxation tactic. Teach your children to stand for a moment and take two or three deep breaths. If they are extremely angry and upset, ask them to close their eyes and then take several deep breaths to calm themselves. This is one of the most successful ways to deal with tantrums.
Bloating in the hands
Sometimes babies need a reaction to their deep breathing in order for it to fully affect them and their mood. One easy way to do this, and in order to really feel their breath, they have to cover their mouth with their hands and blow into it. By blowing into their hands, children feel the air and force of their breath, which is very soothing.
Hugs
There is something about a hug that deeply relaxes people, adults and children alike. And if your child is angry and overwhelmed by his emotions, tell him that it is okay for him to come to his father or brother and ask for a hug. Hugs make you feel like, caring and calm, so sometimes this is the only solution available to deal with an angry child.
And remember, anger is faultless! Children do not have to learn that anger is something that should be hidden or resisted. Rage, without a doubt, is part of being human. However, children must learn how to deal with anger properly, and that violence and attacks on others during anger attacks are not the correct way to deal with this anger.
